TARANTINO'S MANTRA?

Todd Boyd. Special to the Tribune.Todd Boyd is a professor of critical studies at the University of Southern California School of Cinema-TelevisionCHICAGO TRIBUNE

One of the most problematic words in the American language is "nigger," and its more recent embodiment, "nigga."

Whether it be the repeated usage of the word in the films of Quentin Tarantino, most recently "Pulp Fiction" (13 times by black characters, seven by white), or the constant embrace of the term in rap music and the black standup-comedy circuit, we are regularly being subjected to the cultural politics of this word.

Several arguments have surfaced about the word's appropriateness: Is it OK for blacks to use the term among themselves, or does it have no place whatsoever in a supposedly enlightened society?

Along with his overall infatuation with black culture, especially the images from the blaxploitation era, Tarantino seems to be obsessed with the word. In one scene in "Pulp Fiction," the character whom Tarantino himself portrays spews it four times-and he's just repeating himself.

In "True Romance," written by Tarantino, Dennis Hopper gives a shocking history lesson to Christopher Walken's character concerning the racial background of his Sicilian ancestors. It is, of course, laced liberally with the N-word.

Tarantino, in a recent article in Vibe magazine, responded that he has heard the word all his life and feels no one word should have as much power as this one does. So he will use it, in context, until it no longer has this power.

Which brings us to another point: the way certain whites use the term to assist in maintaining a "hipness quotient," which is clearly the way Tarantino sees himself using it.

The recurrent use of the N-word has the ability to signify the ultimate level of hipness for white males who historically have used their perception of black masculinity as the embodiment of cool.

Like that figment of our pop cultural imagination Vanilla Ice-who fabricated his biography, claiming he had grown up in a poverty-stricken environment in Miami-Tarantino sees his use of the N-word as proof that he is conversant in the nuances of black culture in the most sophisticated way.

In the sense that blackness always has been the model for what was hip in American society, Tarantino has simply added himself to a long list, one that also includes Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. All of these figures have used the tropes of blackness as their model for appropriation (some would say exploitation), yet they presented their work in a fashion that still allowed them to maintain their own cultural identity.

For a white person who subscribes to this theory, being called the N-word affirms one's hipness; being able to say it simultaneously allows the user to reference one's own whiteness without fear of compromise.

Indeed, Gary Oldman's vicious white pimp in "True Romance" (written by Tarantino) casts himself in the image of a stereotypical black pimp like the one in the '70s blaxploitation film "The Mack."

This is only one side of a very complicated debate. The re-spelling of the word to "nigga" in rap music circles has prompted many to say this change constitutes some sort of overall change in meaning, that the word no longer contains its racist legacy. Instead, as the argument goes, blacks have totally redefined the word so that it belongs exclusively to them.

In addition, there is the argument that when the word is used among peers, meaning within the black community, it does not carry the same connotations it has when used by someone who is not black. It is very difficult to listen to a rap record or watch a black comedy show and not hear the word thrown out repeatedly.

In this all-black context, the word seems to take on the same protections as do the affairs of a family. Though there may be a certain level of tension in any family, the tension resides exclusively in that family; outside interference is clearly inappropriate. As a matter of fact, the word is often used as a term of endearment. Yes, I am saying there is a marked difference between blacks calling each other the N-word and whites doing so.

On the other hand, it is quite difficult to suggest that the term can remain exclusive to black culture when rap videos and black comedy programs are aired on television. The question then becomes whether those who use it in this public venue are really putting on a postmodern coon show in exchange for a few dollars and a little air time.

The liberal use of the term by whites comes without the users having to pay any form of retribution whatsoever. When you consider the odious history that has surrounded the word, it becomes hard to accept any explanation regarding an appropriate use of the term, even as a term of endearment.

If Tarantino is truly interested in the societal significance of the word and he is dead set on using it repeatedly, I can think of a few neighborhoods where he can experiment. Then he'll find out how much power the word really has.